Celestial Dragon Ninja
by StormFox02
Summary: On a mission in Star Village , Naruto finds a particular set of keys that hold untold power. With them, he will not only find friends and family, but also love. Warning Yaoi Loke/Leo x Naruto
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.**

**Prologue**

"RASENGAN!" Naruto shouted as, with the aid of Sumaru's mother, he managed to destroy the Meteor and defeat Akahoshi.

Akahoshi yelled as he felt his chakra leave him. He stared wide eyed as he felt a strong pulse of energy. He stared at his chest to see some form of bright energy being released from the star.

"AHHHH" Akashoshi yelled as he couldn't handle the pain anymore and his body shut down from the pain.

Naruto stared as Akahoshi was completely covered in light. He closed his eyes from the brilliance. When he opened them again, he saw that Akahoshi had disappeared and in his place now floated…keys? Naruto stared at the floating keys. 12 of them were golden in color while there were others that had a silver color. Naruto reached out and grabbed them just before Natsuhi disappeared, making him fall to the ground.

**Back in Konoha**

"To destroy the meteor when you were on a mission to protect it, this is not just mission failure! The compensation costs will be immense." Tsunade looked absolutely furious at the four genins in front of her.

"But Baa-chan, it _had_ to be done." Naruto defended his and his team's actions.

Neji stepped in. "It was my weakness as a leader that I was unable to stop him."

Lee stepped up as well. "I am also responsible."

Tenten joined in. "Yes, so am I."

Tsunade brushed off their defences. "Well, normally it would."

"Huh?" The four genins looked surprised.

"We have not received any complaints about the fact that we destroyed the star." The genin looked relieved and Tsunade continued. "Though since the culprit of the incident this time was our client, Akahoshi, the deputy Hoshikage, the mission itself is also void."

Naruto looked uncomfortable, since he had indirectly killed him. That's when he remembered the keys he found. "Oh yeah, Baa-chan, do you know what these are?" He took out the keys and placed them on her desk.

Tsunade leaned over her desk to inspect them. "Hmm? Keys? Where did you find them?"

"I found these keys when I broke the meteor." Tsunade looked up.

"These keys were in the meteor? How unusual." She went to pick them up when they seemed to glow before her hand was repelled by a barrier. Tsunade quickly retracted her hand as she looked at her slightly sizzling fingers. "Strange, there's a barrier around them. Can any of you touch them too?" Team Gai each tried to touch the keys to the same effect. She looked at Naruto. "Yet, you seem to be able to touch them without any problem." Naruto tested it out by taking the keys.

Tsunade looked thoughtful. "You should probably give them to one of the Hoshi Genin since it is the property of the village."

Naruto looked at the keys before pocketing them. "What happens if they can't touch them either?"

"Then that would probably mean you are the only one who could touch them, making them yours. While I don't know their purpose, they might be a weapon or sacred tool, they seem to have chosen you."

A knock came at the door and Shizune came in.

"Tsunade-sama, we have finished examining the genin of Hoshigakure."

"And?" Tsunade questioned.

"If all of them receive proper medical treatment, they will all make full recoveries."

"Say, what about Mizura?" Naruto questioned, momentarily forgetting about the keys because of his concern for his friend.

Shizune smiled at him. "Yes, of course him too."

"That's great! And? Where is everyone?" Naruto exclaimed.

"We've finished their examinations and they are returning to their lodgings."

Naruto grinned before running to see them.

"Hey Naruto, I'm not done with my lecture!" Tsunade yelled at him before scoffing in amusement. "Geez…He never changes."

Naruto ran out of the building and quickly found all three Hoshi Genin walking to where they were staying.

"Hey everyone!" The three stopped and turned as Naruto ran over to them. "I'm happy for you."

Mizura smiled and nodded as Sumaru glared at him. "I won't lose to you."

Naruto looked confused. "What?"

"I will become the Hoshikage before you. Even if we don't have a star, I will make Hoshigakure the best ninja village with my power!"

Naruto smiled in amusement, not having the heart to tell him that he didn't really want to be Hokage, it was just something he said to hide his real self. However, talking about the Star Village reminded him of something.

"Oh, yeah. Do these say something to you? They came from the meteor." He pulled out the keys and showed them to the genin.

"Huh? The meteor?" Sumaru looked confused. He reached to grab them when he was stopped by the barrier.

"Oww, what did you do to them?" Sumaru asked as he pulled back his hand.

"Nothing, when I showed them to Baa-chan and my teammates, they were also stopped by the barrier. We thought that since it came from the meteor, you should be the ones to have it."

Hokuto looked at them. "Well, we never heard anything about them and they don't seem to expel the same energy as the meteor. Besides, it looks like they chose you for some reason."

Sumaru crossed his arms. "Well, we don't need them anyway. You can keep them."

Naruto frowned. "Really? You sure you don't want them."

Sumaru replied. "Well, it's not like we can touch them, and no one ever mentioned _keys_ in the meteor so I don't think they'll care if you took them. Anyways, we should get back, Mizura needs his rest." With that, all three said their goodbyes to Naruto as they left.

Naruto stared at their backs before going back home. He reached his house and took out the keys to look at them. '_What are you?_' He mentally asked them. He was surprised as he thought he saw a twinkle come out from them. '_Huh, guess I should find out later._'

Naruto placed the keys in a box and left them under his bed as he went to continue his day.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail**

**Chapter 1 Celestial Spirits and Sky Dragon**

"Wake uuuuup." A voice whispered in Naruto's ear. Naruto groaned as he was being pulled from his sleep.

"Wake up." The voice started to sound annoyed but it didn't deter Naruto from his sleep.

"WAKE UP!" The voice yelled, making Naruto scream as he fell over the side of his bed.

"Well, you sure act like her." The voice sounded amused.

"Huh, wha-" Naruto opened his eyes to stare at a pair of polished black shoes. He followed them up to see pressed, black pants followed by a white dress shirt, black jacket and tie to rest on a youthful looking face of a man with unruly, almost animalistic, auburn hair and shaded glasses. Naruto yelped in surprise and jumped on the bed, pulling out a kunai from his sleeve and placing it in front of him in a defensive position.

"Who are you! Why are you here!" Naruto asked cautiously.

The man smirked as he adjusted his glasses over his eyes. "I am Leo the Lion, but you can call me Loke. You summoned me." The newly dubbed Loke said calmly.

"What, I never summoned you." Naruto was confused. How could he have not sensed this man's presence. He would have felt it if someone had entered his house. He stared as Loke pulled out the keys that came from the meteor. "Those are…"

Loke finished for him. "These are the Celestial Keys."

"Celestial Keys?" It would make sense since they came from a meteor.

Loke nodded. "Yes, the Celestial Keys are a mage's tool that allows them to summon spirits like me."

"Spirits?"

Loke looked annoyed. "Are you going to keep parroting me or can I finish my explanation."

"S-s-sorry." Naruto stuttered as he shut up and let Loke continue.

Loke sighed to recompose himself. "As I was saying, the Celestial Keys are powerful weapons that allow a mage to summon Celestial Spirits." He pointed to himself. "For example, I am Leo the Lion. I am part of the Golden Keys." He showed the golden keys. "There are 11 others like me, meaning spirits of great power. Our abilities differ from each other and not all of us are suited for combat." Loke stopped talking and looked at his audience hoping to see that Naruto had paid attention. "Now, any questions?"

"Yes, you said mage, did you mean magic? I thought magic didn't exist." Naruto asked.

Loke looked surprised. "You don't know about magic? Then how did you summon me?"

Naruto looked at Loke in confusion. "What do you mean how? When I summon, I use chakra. Isn't that how I summoned you?"

"Chakra, the energy in all living things? Well, I guess that could be used as a substitute for magic, the energy that lives in the soul." Loke asked. "Wait, you said summoning. What did you mean?"

Naruto looked oddly at the supposed spirit before biting his thumb, drawing blood and performing hand seals. Loke looked at the whole thing in confusion before looking in shock as Naruto slammed his hand on the floor and out popped a frog.

"Hey, Naruto, what's up?" Loke was surprised that the red frog could talk.

"Hey, Gamakichi, I was just summoning you to show this guy how I summon." Naruto spoke to the red toad as he turned to look at Loke.

"Huh, who's this pretty boy." Loke continued to stare at the amphibian, he may have witnessed many strange things in the spirit world, but never a talking toad.

"This is Loke, he says he's a Celestial Spirit." Naruto explained to Gamakichi, hoping he knew what he meant.

"Celestial Spirit? Never heard of them. You sure he ain't lying?" Gamakichi replied as he crossed his arms in scepticism.

Loke now looked offended. "Hmph, like I care what a dirty frog has to say about that."

Gamakichi glared at the male. "I'm a toad, not a frog. And if celestial spirits really existed, then how come I have never heard of them. My family has lived for thousands of years and I never heard of you."

"What! How can you have never heard of us? We have existed in Earthland for well over a millennia."

Before they could continue to argue, Naruto stepped in. "Wait, wait, wait. You said Earthland, but we this isn't Earthland." Naruto told Loke as he restrained Gamakichi who was prepared to jump on Loke.

This shocked Loke. "This isn't Earthland." Both Naruto and Gamakichi shook their heads, although Gamakichi was a little ruder. Loke suddenly looked depressed. "Then that means that Earthland really was destroyed by Acnologia."

Naruto looked at Loke confused. "What is an Acnologia?"

Loke took some time to recollect himself before sighing. "Acnologia is , or was, one of the last dragons in Earthland. It was known as the Dark Dragon and was reputed to be incredibly violent and destructive. Like all dragons, it had the power to '_breathe_' and element into a destructive roar. It ravaged Earthland and destroyed many guilds. Before you ask, guilds are groups of mages that come together to perform missions together." Naruto nodded, guilds sounded a lot like villages on a smaller scale.

Loke continued. "My ex-summoner, Lucy, and other members of Fairy Tail, one of the mage guilds in Earthland, died protecting Earthland from Acnologia. Because she died without any heirs, our contract with Lucy was terminated. When you used your mag-er chakra on us, we were able to create a contract with you." Loke explained.

Naruto looked surprised. "So, I have a contract with every spirit?" Loke nodded. "And I can use my chakra to summon them?" Again, Loke nodded. "Alright, now for the obvious question. How did the keys end up in a meteor?"

At this, Loke looked serious. "I have a theory. The last time we were summoned, the world was in a horrible war. All around us there was nothing but carnage and destruction. Acnologia was a creature whose power was almost unstoppable. I wouldn't be surprised if it managed to destroy the world. " Naruto listened in rapt attention, horrified at the idea of a world being destroyed by a powerful monster. "If that is the case, then perhaps the planet died out and turned into a burned rock as it drifted into space. Our keys, because they are made from material of the spirit world, are indestructible, so it could be possible that as the planet was traveling towards this one, we were entombed in it as it lost mass. That would mean that the meteor you said you found me in was probably the last remains of our world."

"But, if your world was full of magic, why did it start killing the ones around it?"

"The problem with magic is that it is easily corrupted and once corrupted it could be corrosive towards other substances." Loke explained.

Naruto thought that it explained why the vegetation around the star died out and why the people who meditated in its presence became poisoned.

Gamakichi then spoke up."Well, that explains a few things. Guess I should head back and inform pops about this. I'm sure he would want to know one of his summoners can summon more than just us now." With that, he poofed away.

Naruto watched him go as he thought about this new situation in his life. He was now a celestial spirit mage, or ninja. He was about to think about the whole thing when he was startled by Loke cupping his face gently in his hand and staring at him. He blushed at the close proximity.

"Hmm, well, you aren't a girl, but you are rather feminine." Naruto lost his blush as he glared. "But despite the signs of masculinity and the hideous orange clothing I admit those whisker marks are pretty adorable." Naruto's glare turned into a blush again. Nobody ever complemented his looks before and Naruto never bothered to think about them, but hearing this attractive guy tell him how cute he looked really made him shy.

"W-Wh-Why…" Naruto cleared his throat to get rid of his stutter. "Why are you saying that?"

Loke smirked. "Because as our new summoner, you will have to be accepted by all the other spirits."

Naruto gulped at that. He had the worst experience with being accepted. So, it was natural he would be nervous about being accepted by an entire race of spiritual beings.

Loke noticed his nervousness and was confused. From what he saw of the boy, he was rather cheerful and happy, but as he looked at his nervous form, he noticed he looked…scared? It almost looked like he was afraid of meeting new people. Did something happen to him to make him wary of others?

Loke shook his head as he pushed the thought out of his head for now and took out one of the keys. He presented the key to Naruto who took it and examined it. The key had a lyre at the bottom and two faces, one happy and one sad, at the top with a symbol on the handle.

"Use this and say: Hirake Ashita no Tobira: Gemini. Introduce yourself to them and tell them not to touch you yet." This made Naruto sweat drop, were they molesters or something. "Then, tell them to summon me." Loke then vanished in light before Naruto could stop him.

Naruto looked at the key before holding it up and yelling: "Hirake Ashita no Tobira: Gemini." He was surprised when a circle of blue light appeared in front of him with a lock in the middle. A flash of light then revealed the presence of two small, blue, floating alien-like creatures with antennas wearing shorts, one red and the other black.

"Ho, looks like we have a new summoner." The one on the left with a smile and red shorts said.

"Maybe we should introduce ourselves." The one on the right with a frown and black shorts said.

"I am Gimi." The black shorts wearing one said. "And I am Mini." The red shorts wearing one continued.

"We are the twin Celestial Spirits, Gemini." They both replied simultaneously as they floated around while waving their arms.

"Umm, I am Naruto Uzumaki. Loke told me to tell you not to touch me yet and to summon him, whatever that means." Naruto told them.

The twins looked at each other before giggling. "Okay!" They replied as they poofed and transformed into a young, blond woman in her twenties with her hair tied at the side. She was wearing a green shirt and a beige skirt.

"Wow, that's amazing."

The spirit then took out Loke's key making Naruto look at his hand where he was also holding all the other keys. "Huh, how is that…" He was interrupted by the twins.

"Hirake Ashita no Tobira: Leo." With that, the same blue circle appeared and out came Loke.

Loke smirked at Naruto's dumbfounded expression. "Well, I see you met Gemini." He gestured to the still transformed Gemini. "You see, Gemini has the power to completely transform into any person he touches. At the moment, he is transformed into our past summoner, Lucy Heartfilia." Naruto looked in awe at the woman, now realizing that she was the mage who owned the keys before him.

Loke turned back to Naruto. "There is a reason I wanted Gemini out. You see, the best thing we should do, as you are not familiar with magic, is to teach you how to wield it. Who better than to teach you than Gemini, the one who can turn into mages."

Naruto looked a little excited now. "Does this mean I'll learn to use magic?" Loke nodded and both he and Gemini smiled in amusement at the childish excitement of their new summoner. '_Maybe he won't be so bad. If what I saw earlier was real, than us being with him might also help him too._'

"Now Naruto," Naruto turned to look back to Loke, "I am going to leave and let Gemini teach you."

Naruto nodded as Loke faded in light. He turned to Gemini and was surprised they turned back into their previous form.

Gemini, seeing his confusion, laughed. "Heeheehee, we can only turn into a person for 5 minutes so if we are to train you, we'll have to do it periodically." Naruto nodded. "However, we can turn into 2 people so we'll teach you 2 different magic styles." Naruto looked excited at the prospect.

" Can you show me who the other one is?"

Gemini giggle before transforming. Naruto looked at the smoke, wanting to see who will come out. He was severely disappointed. He thought it would be this big and powerful warrior or something. Instead, there in front of him was a little girl, around his age, maybe younger, with dark blue hair and brown eyes.

The Gemini-Girl smiled at him. "I am Wendy Marvell, the Sky Dragon Slayer."

**So, Naruto will be a Celestial Spirit Mage and a Sky Dragon Slayer. I hope the way I did the story was okay. I wasn't sure if the whole idea was plausible.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.**

**I'll be starting the real story after the time skip. So, this chapter starts off with a little explanation of his training and then will start with Team 7 having reached Sunagakure and trying to heal Kankuro after Gaara's kidnapping.**

**Chapter 2 Three Years Later**

Three years! It took him three years to master his abilities. He hadn't really used them outside of training as he wasn't sure how his teammates would react to his abilities. He didn't even tell Jiraiya about them. On top of that, he wasn't adept at using his abilities which could result in the failure of the mission or the death of a comrade.

Thanks to Gemini, he has learned a great deal about magic. It helped that Lucy was really knowledgeable about many aspects of magic. Now, Naruto was able to access his magical reserve, which took some time to find because he was used to feeling his chakra. Feeling magic was such a foreign feeling for him, but not an unpleasant one. Thanks to Gemini writing all Lucy knew and giving him some of her objects like the Gale-Force Glasses and the Fleuve d'etoiles, Naruto has become smarter, thanks to the glasses, and he has now become a great fighter. His training to be a celestial spirit mage was coming along great. At first, he was a little afraid to summon any spirits. Loke tried to encourage him to call upon them, but Naruto was too nervous they would reject him. However, Naruto had promised that if he needed their help, he would call them.

So far, he has summoned Aquarius, Scorpio, Virgo, Aries, Caprico, and of course, Gemini and Loke. His relationship with each one had evolved and become stronger the more he interacted with them. Aquarius, for example, treated him like a little brother. At first, Aquarius was harsh with him, but after finding out the life he had, she became a dangerously protective older sister figure. Even Naruto was scared of her when she went into monster protective mode. But, he still loved her all the same and counted her as one of his most powerful spirit.

Scorpio, much like Aquarius, also treated him like a little brother. However, in contrast to Aquarius' overbearing older sister attitude, Scorpio was more like a cool older brother, although, that did not make him any less protective of him. He liked hanging out with Scorpio because he was always mellow and cool to be around.

Virgo was a completely different story altogether. While Naruto appreciated her zealous, yet monotone, personality, he was more or less embarrassed by her idea of humour. Countless times, he almost fainted of humiliation every time she called him master and would ask him to punish her. It took some time before he convinced her to call him boss or Naruto-sama. It was still embarrassing, but at least people wouldn't think he was some kind of pervert, especially with the chains on her wrists.

His relationship with Aries was a comfortable one. She, too, acted like an older sister with him. Unlike Aquarius, she was more of the caring and doting sister and he came to enjoy talking to her about his problems. He was, however, reminded of Hinata's own shyness with Aries. It took him approximately an entire month before she finally stopped saying sumimasen every two seconds. He had heard from Loke and the other spirits about her abusive past and while Lucy had managed to heal some of her emotional wounds, Aries still felt insecure about herself. Naruto's determined and happy personality, as well as his own abusive past, has helped Aries cope with her insecurities and has made her much more confident about herself.

Caprico was what Naruto would consider his true sensei. While Gemini did give him the information he remembered from his transformations as Lucy and Wendy, Caprico was the one to truly teach him, not only about magic, but also combat, meditation and various other circles of knowledge. Naruto truly respected Caprico as his beloved sensei, more so than Kakashi, who dismissed him at every turn or Jiraiya, who focused only on teaching him specific abilities, limiting his knowledge.

Hands down, Gemini could be considered Naruto's favourite spirit. Not that he would ever say it, or mean it in a mean way, but Naruto could relate with Gemini's happy and mischievous attitude. The three of them acted a lot like siblings and Naruto could really enjoy playing pranks with them. He especially liked all the possibilities, both in battle and in pranks, that opened up when Gemini was finally allowed to turn into different people.

Last, but _definitely _not least, was Loke. His relationship with the leader of the Zodiac was a complicated one. At first, they had a sibling relationship, with Loke being the teasing older brother and Naruto the annoying little brother. However, as Naruto grew older and more mature, while Loke remained the same, an attraction started forming. Their teasing, sibling relationship, became a more playful and flirty relationship, and it is starting to escalate into a more intimate relationship. Now, neither party has actually made a move, but there was a definite tension between them that anyone could see. Naruto would have dreams about them being together and Loke would stop flirting with girls when Naruto was around. All in all, it was difficult to interact with Loke alone as Naruto was never sure about his feelings for the immortal spirit.

On another note, when at first he was disappointed that the other magic training he would receive was from a little girl, he was surprised and excited when he heard she wielded a powerful magic known as Dragon Slayer. The ability to slay dragons, while appealing to him, was not the reason he was so interested. He was more excited about Wendy's wind related ability. He has learned long ago that he was a Wind Chakra user, but without proper teachers he never knew how to wield it properly. The healing abilities and support abilities were also incredible and Naruto could already plan strategies where he would use his power in tandem with his teammates or his spirits to increase their battle potential. It was initially hard for Naruto to learn the Dragon Slayer Lost Magic as he was a little old for his magic to take on the consistency of a dragon's, but with a lot of sleepless nights and training, he managed to become a Sky Dragon Slayer.

Naruto remembered when he had finally learned how to use his dragon slayer powers. He was impressed at all he could accomplish. His senses were enhanced and he could smell and hear even better than before. On top of that, being the Sky Dragon Slayer allowed him to 'taste' the air, giving him an advantage. He smiled as he remembered how his healing abilities had come in handy that week. He was practicing 'tasting' the air when he tasted a foul stench. When he went to investigate, he saw that Akamaru was in pain and after further tasting, realized Akamaru was infected with some strange virus. Seeing this as the perfect chance to practice his Sky Magic, he had infiltrated the Inuzuka Camp Grounds without being seen, heard or smelled, a skill he had perfected in his prankster days. He saw Akamaru was placed in a cage for his own protection. Naruto acted quick, sucking in some air, feeling his body receive the nutrients from the air. He then placed his hands together and watched a soft blue hue coming from them. He placed his hands on either side of Akamaru and started purifying the virus from his body. He smiled as he finished and Akamaru lifted his head to bark in thanks as he left the clan compound. Last he heard the Inuzuka had celebrated Akamaru's recovery.

Naruto grinned as he remembered that. Now he understood why Baa-chan and Shizune liked being medics. The feeling of seeing someone completely healed was an amazing one. He shook his head as he stared at the scene in front of him. Gaara's brother, Kankuro, was currently lying on the bed, moaning in pain. He had heard that Gaara had been kidnapped by the Akatsuki and Kankuro, in an effort to save him, had been poisoned.

"I could make an antidote, but I'm not sure if I can make it in time to save him." He heard Sakura say as she took Kankuro's blood.

"Hmph, just what you'd expect from the slug princess' apprentice. She can't get anything done." He almost laughed as he heard Chiyo-baasama's voice. She was quite the character.

Naruto turned towards the rest of the room. "No, but I can."

Everyone turned to him in surprise as Sakura moved forward. "What are you talking about, Naruto? You don't have any training in medicine."

Naruto grinned. "Actually, you don't know what I can do. There are a lot of things I've learned during my training and not all of them was from Jiraiya." Sakura looked surprised at that.

"You mean, you've become a medic?" She said, a little shocked that he could even heal at all with his horrible chakra control.

"Not really. I don't have the intricate knowledge of anatomy that you do," Sakura bushed at the compliment, "but I can still heal almost any injury with my Sky Dragon Slayer power."

Now, Sakura was sure he was joking. "Sky Drag- This is serious, Naruto! You shouldn't joke at a time like this."

Naruto looked at her in disappointment. "Really? You really think I would joke when one of my best friends' brothers is like this?" Chiyo looked at the boy, confused. He was friends with the Jinchuuriki Kazekage? But how? She had learned many people feared him and wanted his death. Yet, this boy claims not only a bond of friendship with him, but even claiming he would also help the enemy for Gaara. Either this boy was stupid or he was pure-hearted, something she had never encountered.

Before Sakura could say anything Naruto approached the bedridden Kankuro. He took a deep breath, inhaling the air around him. He could feel it dry and stale, like the desert. He placed his hands together and everyone in the room, his team, the medics and Elder Chiyo, watched them glow blue. He placed his hands on Kankuro's chest. He purified the poison that entered his system and healed the damage done to Kankuro's body.

Naruto removed his hands after he was done. "There, there should be no traces of poison left in his system."

Sakura was about to tell him off when one of the medics performed a diagnosis technique. "He's right. Kankuro-sama's body no longer contains any sign of Sasori's poison. On top of that, all damage done to his organs has been repaired."

Sakura stared at Naruto in shock. "Wha-"

Naruto turned to Sakura. "My Sky Dragon Slayer abilities allow me to eat the air around me. Using the air I ingest, I can then perform numerous acts to stimulate the body such as purifying poisons and healing injuries."

Chiyo looked at Naruto in calculation. '_This boy was able to easily overcome Sasori's poison. He himself claims he isn't a medic. How can this be? His power is something I have never encountered before. The ability to purify poisons? What an incredible power. Is this what Konoha has done with its shinobi?_'

Sakura stared at him. She suddenly felt like her importance had just lessened. She had prided herself in being a medic because now she could fight alongside her comrades. But now, Naruto, the person she had previously sought to help by learning medicine, has already surpassed her in the healing arts.

"Sakura, you should make an antidote for Sasori's poison. I can't make the antidote and having one would allow us to counteract any future interactions with him."

Sakura's eyes widened as she looked at the blood sample she took from Kankuro. She smiled as she realized that although she might not be the only healer in the team, she could still help in other ways.

She raised her head, eyes aglow with determination. "Right!" She left to the greenhouse to make the antidote.

Kakashi placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Well, it seems you grew up, eh, Naruto?" Kakashi eye smiled at him.

Naruto looked at Kakashi with little emotion. "I was always grown up, people just never cared to notice." He shrugged the hand off his shoulder and went to get ready to pursue the Akatsuki.

Kakashi's eye widened in shock as it stared at Naruto walking away.

-Line-

The remaining members of Team 7 and Elder Chiyo were currently running within River Country on their way to rescue Gaara. Thanks to the piece of cloth Kankuro managed to get from Sasori, they were able to easily find a trail to follow. Naruto was of great assistance as his Dragon Slayer's sense of smell is above even Kakashi's ninken. Temari had wished to join them, but Baki had insisted they stay behind to guard the village.

Kakashi had sent Pakkun to inform Team Guy about their whereabouts as they continued on to the Akatsuki's base.

The team was currently tree jumping as they headed towards the base. Kakashi was in the lead as they jumped to the ground. However, Kakashi suddenly stopped motioning for everyone to stop.

Everyone looked in front and noticed the standing figure of Itachi Uchiha.

"Who's that?" Sakura frowned.

"Already, huh?" Kakashi stared at him impassively.

"Those eyes…" Chiyo frowned.

Naruto frowned. "You are…Itachi Uchiha." Naruto reached for his keys. '_Something doesn't smell right about him. The air around him feels dead._'

Sakura gasped. '_This man is-this man is Itachi Uchiha!_'

"This is him?" Naruto turned to Chiyo. "The kid who wiped out his entire clan?"

Itachi stared impassively at the group. "It's been some time Kakashi-san, Naruto-kun."

'_This is the man who's made Naruto and Sasuke-kun suffer all this time!_' Sakura thought.

Naruto stepped forward. "You people are really despicable. Attacking Jinchuuriki and for what? Power? You think that what you're doing will get you power? The Bijuu are sentient beings, no amount of power over them will make them willingly work for you." His team looked at him in shock, never having seen him act so cold, while Chiyo looked at him in wonder. Naruto smirked sarcastically. "You Akatsuki truly are stupid and weak," Itachi's eyes narrowed, "only fools and beggars would stoop so low as to use another's power, much like Sasuke, actually." Itachi's eyes flashed in anger.

Itachi moved his hand, making Kakashi react. "Everyone! Don't look directly into his eyes, or you're finished." They watched as Itachi placed his hand in front of him. "Itachi uses ocular illusions, meaning they take effect through your vision. You're okay as long as your eyes don't meet his. Look at his arms and legs and avoid his eyes."

Sakura tried and found it hard, her eyes always instinctively going towards his eyes. "It's easier said than done."

"The Uchiha clan, been a long time since I fought against the Sharingan. There are plenty of ways to fight eye techniques. When it's one-on-one, run away. When it's two-on-one, get him from behind. If one person gets caught in a genjutsu, the other can attack the guy from behind. And if you attack the user, the genjutsu vanishes. Or if an attack isn't possible, you can dispel the genjutsu by hitting your ally. In other words, since there are several of us, one person will be the diversion, and the rest will attack the Sharingan's blind spot from behind."

"That won't work. That strategy would be fine in regular circumstances, however he uses the Mangekyo Sharingan, an eye technique far more powerful than a normal Sharingan. You suffer the full effect of his genjutsu the instant he looks into your eyes. In other words, while it only seems like a second for everyone else, it can feel like hours, or days, for the one trapped in the illusion. Dispelling the technique isn't possible."

Naruto smiled and took out a key. "Then we could also make sure he can't see us." Kakashi turned to him quizzically.

Naruto held up the key. "What are you going to do with that key, Naruto?" Sakura asked.

Naruto just smiled. "Healing isn't the only thing I've picked up." He placed the key in front of him.

"Hirake Ashita no Tobira: Scorpio" Naruto's keyhole magic circle appeared in front of him, shocking even Itachi.

A blast of smoke momentarily blinded both sides as a figure appeared. The figure is relatively tall, lean built, dark skinned man with short hair that is red on one side and white on the other. His tail is a large gun that is shaped like a scorpion's tail that has the word Antares written on it. He wears no shirt, but has a flower shaped collar that is red and trimmed with gold around his neck. He has a red sheet-like material around his waist that is kept up by his large belt that has the Scorpio symbol on it. He wears black shorts, and has bandage-like material wrapped around his arms and legs. The man had his middle and ring fingers folded back while keeping his index and little fingers extended, mimicking the pincer claws of a scorpion.

"We are, yeah. What can I do for you, owner?" Scorpio asked.

Ignoring the shocked looks of his teammates, he turned to Kakashi. "Be ready to attack him." Before Kakashi could question him, he turned back to Scorpio. "Scorpio, operation: sand swirl"

Scorpio grinned as he got down on his four limbs and aimed his cannon towards Itachi.

"Sand Buster"

A vortex of sand launched from his pincer as it sped towards Itachi. Itachi jumped intent on dodging it just as Naruto grinned. "Just as planned" Itachi's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond he saw a shadow over the ground. He raised his head and saw the man, Scorpio, aiming his cannon towards him.

"Sand Buster"

Itachi, still in midair, couldn't dodge as the sand impacted towards him. He fell to the ground, just as the first wave reached his location, causing him to be slammed across the field, into a tree.

As he got up, the group noticed that his eyes were tightly shut.

'_The plan worked, now he can't use his Sharingan._' Naruto grinned.

'_He used the sand to blind the Sharingan user. Incredible._' Chiyo stared in amazement.

'_Since when could Naruto summon that thing? And how did he learn to do it? Surely, Jiraiya-sama didn't have those abilities._' Sakura wondered.

'_You really have grown up, Naruto._' Kakashi thought as he prepared the chidori.

Itachi kept his head down, eyes burning with the dust in his eyes. "I admit, that was impressive, Naruto-kun. However," Itachi started as he easily dodged Kakashi who charged towards him. Itachi barely managed to keep his footing over the shifting sands caused by Scorpio. "that technique of yours, Kakashi-san, is not known for its quietness."

Kakashi realized his chidori was giving him away. He saw Naruto give Scorpio a look. Scorpio nodded as he slammed his tail into the sandy ground.

"Sand Swirl"

All around Itachi, the sand beneath his feet started spinning until he and Kakashi were surrounded by a vortex of sand.

Itachi, despite his situation, was mildly impressed. '_He disabled my greatest asset using sand. Then, using the residue of his technique, he creates a situation where ambient sound is being muffled by the rotation of the sand. Thus, allowing Kakashi to use his chidori without compromising his stealth. Naruto-kun really has improved._'

Just as Itachi said this, he felt Kakashi's chidori pierce his heart. The sand stopped and the rest of the group could see Itachi, or what should be Itachi, hanging from Kakashi's wrist.

"Wha-where did he go?" Asked Sakura, confused as she looked at the plain looking man hanging from her sensei's wrist.

"That's Yura, a Suna shinobi. Did Itachi substitute with him to escape?" Chiyo asked.

"No, well, in a way, yes. I think he was using this corpse as a diversion. When I killed him, Itachi turned into this person." Kakashi stated as he removed his arm.

"So that's what felt different about him." Naruto stated as he dispelled Scorpio.

Sakura turned to Naruto. "You knew?"

"Well, not really. It was hard to determine what was wrong with him except that the air around him was filled with toxins usually emitted by dead people. However, seeing as Itachi was alive and kicking and the scent of death wasn't Itachi's I just believed it was the clinging scent of someone Itachi killed." Sakura nodded, understanding why he could be confused.

Chiyo frowned. "Poor fool. He went missing when Gaara was abducted."

"Is it possible he was a spy for the Akatsuki?" Sakura asked, concerned.

Chiyo shook her head. "No, he served on the council for four years. They were probably trying to stall for time."

Naruto frowned. "Yes, but because we responded so quickly, only a day has passed since Gaara was abducted. It would be possible to assume that they have started the extraction process, yet have not completed it yet. Since we are only a day away from their base, it is also safe to assume that it would take more than two days to complete the process. Giving this information, the most logical explanation would be that it takes them a minimum of three days to fully extract the beast."

"That means we're out of time." Kakashi stated with a frown.

Naruto shook his head. "Not necessarily. If we can reach them before the Shukaku is completely extracted, then we could save Gaara from dying."

"The Shukaku?" Sakura asked.

Chiyo answered to her as she started writing on a scroll. "I told you, didn't I? How the bijuu are creatures of incredible power and how many villages have tried to use them for military applications." Sakura nodded. "If they manage to extract it, they will be making a new Jinchuuriki, the term used for those particular individuals. Jinchuurikis hold unimaginable power, thanks to their resonance with the beasts. Sealing them within people in the hopes of suppressing the beast while bending its power to their will." Chiyo finished as she summoned a mechanical bird with a twisting top. She twisted the crank as it opened its beak and she put the scroll into its beak. She sent it in the air where it started flying towards the Sand Village.

"How are the beasts extracted!" Sakura suddenly asked making everyone look at her.

"The main requirements for the extraction of a bijuu are a sealing technique and a lot of time." Chiyo answered her. "At the end of which, the Jinchuuriki…"

"…will die." Naruto finished. Sakura looked at him in horror. Just a day ago she had learned her teammate was a Jinchuuriki, she then learned that a group of criminals were after him, and now she learns that if they catch him, he'll die. Naruto continued. "In any case, we should head for Gaara before the sealing is completed."

Everyone present nodded as they sped towards the Akatsuki base.

-Line-

Itachi opened his eyes as the sealing had barely begun.

"Itachi! What are you doing back so soon!" A figure with rippling eyes asked him.

"The group I faced possessed an unknown element to them. I was unprepared to face it." Itachi responded nonchalantly.

"Oh, and what is that?" Pein asked.

"The group was composed of four, Kakashi Hatake, Sakura Haruno, the Nine Tails' Jinchuuriki, Naruto Uzumaki, and Chiyo, an Elder of the Sand Village." Itachi answered.

Sasori looked up. '_Granny Chiyo?_'

Pein looked at him. "And what was this unknown element?"

Itachi looked up. "The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki summoned an unknown creature that possessed unpredictable abilities."

"And what's that?" Pein asked, getting angry. On one of the other fingers, Deidara smirked at Itachi being scolded like a child.

Itachi almost frowned. "The moment it was summoned, some strange wind seemed to dispel the illusion I had placed on the group. It seemed as if the creature's summoning could dispel my chakra."

At this, the entire Akatsuki looked at him in surprise. To be able to dispel chakra is a powerful and frightening ability. What could possibly possess the power to dispel chakra, especially from a powerful individual like Itachi?

Pein closed his eyes in thought. "Hmm, whatever the case, we must concentrate on extracting the Ichibi."

-Line-

The group finally reached the entrance of the base, only to be stopped by a large bolder mounted by a seal.

"Leave it to me!" Sakura cried. She would not pass off this chance to show her teammate how useful she had become. Pouring chakra into her fist, she jumped and moved to punch the boulder.

Kakashi tried to stop her. "Sakura, wait!"

But it was too late as the punch connected with the barrier and she was repelled.

"SAKURA!" A voice was heard and the group turned to see Team Gai jumping on the river behind them.

Lee rushed to Sakura's side. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?" Sakura got up with some difficulty.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Kakashi turned towards Gai. "Looks like I'm not the late one this time." Kakashi eye smiled.

"How can this be? I must be losing my youth. To fix this, I will do five hundred laps when I return to the village!" Gai cried out comically.

Tenten stepped up. "Hey guys, seems we were just a step behind you." She turned to Chiyo. "Oh! Who's the old lady?"

Sakura stepped up. "Oh, this is Elder Chiyo, an advisor of the Sand Village."

Chiyo grinned and gave them the victory sign. "Hello, very nice to meet you!"

The two groups turned to the still silent Naruto who had his hand on the boulder with his eyes closed and seemed to be thinking or meditating.

"Naruto." Neji said softly, observing the boy.

Kakashi turned to Gai. "What do you make of this, Gai."

"This seal is made to keep us out. It seems to be connected to four other seals that must be located around the area. The only way to break through would probably be to destroy the seals at the same time."

Naruto finally opened his eyes. "We don't have that kind of time. They're almost finished with the sealing. Gaara is still alive, but barely. If we don't act now, we won't make it."

Naruto jumped back and took out a key. Upon seeing the key, Tenten, Lee, and Neji all had looks of recognition.

"Those are-" Neji started but was interrupted as Naruto cried out.

"Hirake Ashita no Tobira: Virgo" As Naruto swung the key down, his keyhole magic circle suddenly appeared in front of him startling all the members of Team Gai, who hadn't seen his circle before.

There, in front of them, now stood a pink haired girl, the same shade as Sakura, and green eyes. She was wearing a maid's outfit and had chains on her wrists. She was currently bowing to Naruto.

"How can I pleasure you, Naruto-sama?" Everyone's jaws dropped at that bold statement. Sakura's eyes suddenly became filled with fire and she was about to go hit Naruto when what he said next stopped her.

"This isn't the time for jokes, Virgo." Naruto said seriously, stopping Sakura's oncoming assault and making Virgo look at him in attention. Naruto then pointed towards the rock. "Please, I need you to dig through this rock. Behind it is going to be a red haired boy, my age, who would be in the process of being sealed. I need you to get him before it is completed. Be careful and stay hidden, these people are dangerous." Virgo bowed once again before approaching the boulder.

"Naruto, did you forget about the seal?" Sakura asked him but he ignored her as they watched Virgo approach the boulder. Then, to the surprise of everyone, she seemed to melt into the boulder before disappearing completely.

"That-that's incredible! Those keys held that type of power?" Lee asked in awe.

Naruto turned back to the group. "We don't have time to wait. While Virgo gets Gaara, we should work on getting rid of this seal."

Gai stepped up. "We'll work on it." With that, he gestured his team to follow him.

The rest went back to look at the boulder, waiting for Virgo to reappear.

Chiyo suddenly turned towards Naruto. "Why are you trying so hard? You are not even a member of Sunagakure. What possible need would you have to save its Kazekage."

Naruto turned to Chiyo with determination in his eyes shocking Chiyo. "Gaara might just be your Kazekage, but my bond with him transcends all borders and boundaries put in place by our two villages." Chiyo seemed surprise by that. She had survived through countless wars and never had she seen anyone who would readily give their life for the sake of someone of another village. The mere idea was seen as treason. "I, too, am a Jinchuuriki, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki." Chiyo's eyes widened in understanding. "While I could care less about my status as one, I understand what Gaara had to suffer through." Kakashi and Sakura looked down, not wanting to hear about his suffering. "Our suffering is pointless." Chiyo looked at him surprised. "We were created as disposable commodities by our villages and when are usefulness has expired our existence is terminated." She could only close her eyes to hide the guilt she felt for being part of that cycle of horror. "We have been labelled as monsters. Our creators do not understand that our own monstrosity is merely a reflection of the monstrosity of our villages." Naruto told her. Kakashi closed his eyes, deeply hurt by Naruto's words despite the truth behind them. "To condemn us to a life of misery for their own actions is merely another example of the stupidity of humans." Sakura looked away. She was unused to seeing Naruto so cold. She looked back on herself and couldn't believe the numerous times she herself had acted towards him.

Chiyo looked at him in sadness. "Then, you probably won't be too fond of me." Naruto looked at her in confusion. "You see, I am the one who sealed the Shukaku into Gaara." Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened in horror at the revelation. "At the time, I thought I was helping my village. But, I see now that I was doing nothing but causing pain and misery on a single child." Chiyo sighed. "Knowing what I do now, I would have never agreed to sealing Shukaku into Gaara."

Naruto stared at her for a few seconds. "I cannot claim to say that I do not blame you for Gaara's situation, but I do not hate you. Humans, ninjas especially, always listen to the most domineering personality. You were merely acting upon your duty as a Suna Shinobi. But, that does not leave you without guilt. I am, however, pleased to hear that you do feel some form of regret for your actions." Chiyo looked at him surprised. How many more times will she be surprised by this shinobi? He was unlike the conventional shinobi, who threw away his morals for the sake of the village. Yet, his conviction was not without reason as he had more right than anyone to claim to understand the horror of the world. "So, I will say this. Repent, repent by saving the one you have condemned."

Chiyo nodded, ready to do anything to help the one she has hurt. The team turned back to the boulder, waiting for both Virgo and Team Gai to finish their assigned tasks.

-Line-

Inside the room, the sealing not yet completed, the Akatsuki was not prepared as a pink haired girl in a maid outfit jumped out of the ground. She wrapped Gaara in chains that hung from her wrists. The chains seemed to dispel the sealing technique, shocking the members present, especially Pein who believed his technique unbreakable. The girl than grabbed onto Gaara's weak, but still living body, and disappeared underground once more. All this happened in the span of a few seconds, so the Akatsuki had little time to react to the sudden intrusion.

**Done!**

**What was said before about Itachi's chakra being dispelled is going to be a prominent element of magic in the story. However, it doesn't mean that every time Naruto uses magic, the chakra of the opponent will be dispelled. This is only an ability that the celestial spirits will have. Summoning them will dispel any ambient chakra. Because they don't have a chakra system and their physiology comes from the Celestial Spirit Realm, they are not affected by chakra that targets them, such as Barriers, Genjutsu and Fuuinjutsu. However, they can still be hurt using Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, although the Gentle Fist, which targets the chakra coils that the Spirits don't have, will also be useless.. **

**There will be more Loke x Naruto interactions in the next chapter as there was nothing about them here except for a little explanation.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail**

**Chapter 3 Angry Dragons and Playful Spirits**

"Wh-what just happened? Un. " Deidara asked, surprised at the events that just took place.

Sasori was the one to answer him. "It seems our target has just been taken from us. But how? The barrier is still in place and should have kept all intruders outside."

Itachi spoke up. "That girl possessed the same energy of the Kyuubi Vessel's strange summon. He must have summoned her and since she managed to get through the barrier, it must mean she is also able to dispel chakra."

At the prospect of the Kyuubi possessing so much power, all Akatsuki members fidgeted.

"That means the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki is right outside. This is an excellent opportunity for us." Pein spoke up, ignoring the unknown abilities of the Jinchuuriki. He turned to the only two physically present members. "Sasori, Deidara, you must capture both Jinchuuriki as soon as you can."

Both members nodded in understanding.

-Line-

Naruto looked up as he felt Virgo's presence closing in on them. As Virgo came out of the ground, holding Gaara in her arms, all four rushed to her as she placed him on the ground.

Naruto, Sakura and Chiyo all stared at the near comatose Gaara while Kakashi remained in front of the entrance, waiting for Gai to tell him they could go in.

"His higher brain functions are shutting down. If we don't do something soon, he will die." Sakura spoke with an air of alarm.

Naruto repeated the actions he performed with Kankuro. He breathed in, enjoying the refreshing air of River Country, before placing his hands over Gaara's chest, expelling the same blue light as before. "I can quickly stabilize his condition and repair the damage done to his mind, but it won't completely heal him." Naruto turned towards Sakura. "Can you help me stabilize him?" Sakura nodded as she placed her own green glowing hands next to Naruto.

Chiyo observed them both, inwardly impressed by their efficacy and drive. '_These two…they are helping the sand of their own whim. What has happened to the hate and distrust of the past?_'

Kakashi suddenly turned to them. "The seal is broken."

Sakura looked up before turning to Naruto but he was looking at Virgo. She nodded and stood up, leaving Gaara to Naruto and Sakura, before charging the stone and smashing it with a punch.

Sakura looked surprised. '_She's just as strong as me! Just what are those things?_'

As the stone crumbled, Virgo went back to pick up Gaara as Naruto and Sakura stopped their treatment for now. They all entered the cave and noticed two people standing, or crouching, in the middle of the cave.

When Sasori noticed Chiyo, he gasped. '_Chiyo-baa_'

Chiyo looked at the two, focusing on the hunched figure. '_Could it really be you, Sasori?_'

"Hmm, so it was you who took the Jinchuuriki from us!" Deidara observed as he looked at Virgo, seeing her clearly for the first time. "I can't believe we were bested by a maid! Un"

Virgo turned to him and dropped Gaara.

"DON'T DROP HIM!" Sakura yelled at her. She rushed to make sure Gaara was okay.

"Oh, it seems that the Jinchuuriki is still alive." Sasori noticed. "Good, at least we can still extract the Ichibi."

Naruto glared at him.

Deidara noticed. "Hmm, the one glaring must be the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the one Itachi couldn't capture. It will feel so good to do something that bastard can't. Un" Deidara started glaring into space with his fists clenched.

Naruto's glare lessened, turning into a look of confusion, before his mouth twitched until finally he burst out laughing. "Oh god! This is rich. The Akatsuki acting like a bunch of kids."

Deidara glared. "Who are you calling a kid, brat?"

Sasori turned to the blond. ""Well, in his defence, you are acting immature."

Deidara turned to Sasori. "You're supposed to be on my side, Sasori-danna!"

Sasori turned away from him. "I don't take sides with idiots."

Before Deidara could retort, he felt a shift in the ground before he jumped away. There, where he stood, jumped Virgo poised for a punch. However, before she could reach him, Sasori's tail slammed into her, leaving a trail of its poison in her system.

"Oh no. Now, she is infected with the poison!" Chiyo exclaimed.

Naruto frowned as Virgo jumped back to his position. "Are you okay, Virgo?"

Virgo clutched her side. "Yes, boss. But I will go back as I have overstepped my limit." With that, Naruto held up his key and Virgo vanished to the astonishment of the Akatsuki members.

"Hmm, so she really was a summon." Deidara pointed out.

Sasori then spoke up. "It is pointless to have dispelled her. My poison will kill her in a minute."

Naruto turned and glared at the puppeteer. "Unfortunately, I would disagree. You see, Virgo is a Celestial Spirit, as such, she is immortal." Sasori looked up at that. "Not even the most powerful of poisons will kill her."

Sasori looked surprised and intrigued by the notion. '_Those summons of his, those spirits, are eternal. They are the perfect puppets. Hmm, maybe I should add him to my collection. A puppeteer of that calibre deserves to become my puppet._'

Sakura, who had resumed in healing Gaara, noticed something moving in the ground. She turned to look at it and noticed it was a small spider. However, the spider looked strange; it seemed to be pale and made of clay. Her eyes widened, remembering what Kankuro had said about who had taken Gaara and how he used _clay_ bombs.

Quickly, before it could detonate, she grabbed Gaara and jumped away. Unfortunately, she didn't notice the small spider that had climbed up her shirt. It detonated, causing her to let go of Gaara's body. The explosion caused her teammates to turn to look at her.

"Sakura!" Kakashi and Naruto exclaimed. Naruto turned back to glare at Deidara.

Deidara smirked with his hand held in front of his face. "You're not the only one who can play that game." He grinned as he launched clay birds into the air. All of them poofed to life as they grew and flew towards the group.

Since Kakashi was busy making sure Sakura was okay, it was up to Naruto and Chiyo to get rid of the birds. Naruto took out fleuve d'etoile and started slamming the whip into the birds coming in his direction, causing them to explode prematurely. Chiyo used her puppet strings to stop the birds in their tracks before making them fly into each other, making them explode into each other. Finally, they were able to stop all the clay birds. However, as they were all distracted, they didn't notice the large bird that came sweeping down and swallowing Gaara's body. They turned in shock as the bird returned to Deidara.

"Hmm, well, that was easier than I thought." Deidara smirked.

Naruto got angry. He lifted his whip and channelled wind magic into it. The water seemed to glow blue before he lashed out, the whip flying towards the two. Sasori tried to stop it with his own whip like tail, but was surprised as the water whip easily cut through his tail and continued its path towards Deidara. Deidara quickly jumped onto his bird and dodged the whip. He watched in astonishment as the whip broke through the cave floor as a blade of wind slashed into the stone, creating a gash large enough to bury the statue that was previously there.

Deidara sweat dropped. '_Nani! If I had stayed there, I would have been completely destroyed._'

Sasori, recovered from the destruction of his tail, turned to Deidara. "Idiot, leave with the Jinchuuriki. We'll have to unseal the Tailed Beast somewhere else."

Deidara followed his order and made a beeline for the exit. Along the way, he dodged the whips which continued to slash and dash the cave to pieces. He managed to escape from the opening without being stopped. He looked back and saw the blond Jinchuuriki was about to follow him. '_Excellent!_'

Naruto was about to jump after his fellow blond when Sakura's powerful hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned around, still enraged, but calmed down when he saw Sakura's determined face.

"Naruto, let me and Kakashi go after him." Naruto was about to protest but Sakura interrupted him. "This might be a trap. He might lead you to where the other members are and you'll be captured along with Gaara." Naruto thought about it before agreeing

"Alright, but I won't let you face him alone." Naruto took out a key with a lion on it. "I'll lend you my strongest spirit."

Sasori looked in wonder and a little excitement, though he wouldn't admit it, as Naruto held the key in front of him.

"Hirake Ashita no Tobira: Leo" The magic circle appeared before a handsome brown haired man wearing a crisp suit and sunglasses appeared.

"What can I do for you, Kitsune-chan." Loke smiled a charming smile in his owner's direction.

Naruto and Sakura blushed, one in embarrassment the other because of the naughty thoughts that filled her head, while Kakashi and Chiyo giggled perversely. Sasori merely continued to stare at them passively.

Naruto glared at Loke. "This isn't the time for that, I need you…" Naruto was cut off as Loke embarrassed him, reigniting the blush that had disappeared.

"Oh, but of course my Kitsune-chan, what do you need me to do? Do you wish for me to consummate our love?" Sakura was close to the point of nose bleeding from the overload of images on her mind.

Naruto pushed Loke away. "Loke, this is serious." He said softly.

Loke stopped his teasing as he frowned. "What is it?"

Naruto looked up into his eyes. "I need you to go with Sakura and Kakashi and get Gaara back."

Loke nodded, remembering what Naruto had said about each of them. He knew Gaara was a close friend of Naruto and Sakura and Kakashi were his teammates. "Alright, count on me." Loke said as he turned to Sakura and Kakashi. Sakura blushed at his handsome face while Kakashi nodded.

Sasori, who was silently observing until now, spoke up. "Oh, what a disappointment. Here I thought your strongest spirit would be a little more interesting. Nevertheless" Sasori's body shifted, letting the Akatsuki cloak fall from his body, revealing the puppet body of Hiruko without the tail which lay useless on the cave floor. "Do you think I will let you out of here?" The puppet opened its mouth and let out a volley of poisoned senbon.

"That's Hiruko!" Exclaimed Chiyo as she raised her arm to defend herself against the oncoming senbon.

Naruto raised his whip to block the senbon before turning to the other three. "GO!"

Sakura, Kakashi and Loke nodded as they leapt out of the cave, following the trail of Deidara.

Sasori, in a last effort of stopping them, concentrated his last senbon towards them. As Chiyo was too far and Naruto's whip was extended, they wouldn't make it in time. So, Naruto let go of his whip and ran towards the entrance. He blocked the few senbon with his bare arm and winced as he could feel the poison enter his veins.

Sakura turned back, about to help her friend, but Loke stopped her and shook his head. "He can handle it. Let's go." Sakura looked at her friend one last time, noticed the blue glow of his hands, before nodding and all three left.

Sasori also noticed the glow of Naruto's hands and thought to himself. '_The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki is a medic? This is interesting news! Could he truly heal himself from the poison?_' Sasori watched as Naruto finished, standing up, looking completely unaffected by the poison which should have incapacitated him by now.

Sasori, despite himself, was impressed. "Impressive. Your knowledge of bodily chemistry must be truly exceptional. You must be an incredible medic to have successfully neutralized my poison."

Naruto placed his hand at his waist. "I am not."

Sasori's eyes widened in surprise.

"Isn't it embarrassing that your genius was easily defeated by someone with absolutely no knowledge of human anatomy?" Naruto smirked.

Sasori glared at him from behind Hiruko. "Then how did you neutralize my most powerful poison!"

Naruto smirked. "That is none of your concern."

Chiyo jumped next to him, preparing herself to face her grandson. Using the sleeve of her clothes, she leaned in to whisper to him. All the while, Sasori stared at them, unable to figure out what they have planed.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail**

**Chapter 4 The Stalking Lion**

**I know that Loke is a close range fighter, but there is a reason why Loke was chosen. **

Deidara was flying away on his bird. Making sure to fly at a relatively high distance so he could evade most attacks without losing visual of the enemy. He turned and was disappointed to see that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki didn't follow him. He was surprised to see someone he hasn't seen before. The male seemed so out of place among the ninja with his crisp suit, yet he seemed to be able to keep up with the ninja. Deidara decided to dispose of them so he threw some clay birds in their direction. He was about to detonate them when the new male jumped towards them. His hands started to glow yellow and he smashed the birds. What surprised Deidara was that the bombs did not detonate from the impact.

'_How did he do that? Wait! Could he be one of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki's summons! Then he was able to dispel the chakra in my clay birds! I got to be careful with that one._'

Deidara continued to lead them away from Sasori, Gaara still in his clay bird.

/On the ground/

Kakashi stared at the spirit that was easily keeping up with them. From what he just witnessed, this Loke was also a close range fighter. Meaning, they were at a disadvantage.

He glanced at Sakura, before turning back towards their flying enemy. All three of them are close ranged ninja, meaning Deidara, with his long range bombs, will have the advantage. Given Naruto's new abilities, perhaps it would have been better to take him with them.

Kakashi shook his head. Sakura was right. For all they knew, they are being led towards a trap.

'_Still,_' He turned back to Loke. '_why did Naruto give us a short range fighter?_'

Loke, feeling Kakashi's stare, glanced in his direction. "I can tell you are wondering why Naruto sent me with you."

Kakashi looked startled before he consented.

Loke sighed. "Naruto does have long ranged spirits at his command, some that would actually be much more efficient in this battle than others," Loke said, thinking of Sagittarius, "However, we spirits have one large weakness that makes it difficult for us to be in long battles."

"What is it?" Sakura asked softly from Kakashi's other side.

"We can't remain long in this world. The energy of this world is toxic for us and remaining here for longer than five minutes can kill us."

Both Kakashi and Sakura's eyes widened at that.

"Then why did Naruto…?" Sakura started, not wanting to believe that Naruto would willingly force his spirits to remain out for longer than five minutes.

"That is the reason why he sent me." Loke smiled reassuringly at them. "I have trained my body to remain in this world for extended periods of time. Only one other spirit besides me can remain out for long periods of time."

Kakashi thought about it. If the spirits had such a weakness, than they were next to useless in long battles.

Loke saw Kakashi thinking and could already deduce what he was thinking. "The strength of a spirit is determined by the strength of the wielder. A spirit can last up to 2 hours in the outside world if their summoner is that strong. However, prolonged exposure is fatal." Loke gave a light laugh as he thought about Naruto. "Although, Naruto's healing abilities have allowed many of my comrades to remain in the outside world for over 24 hours."

Kakashi nodded. It seems that, like with everything else, Naruto will always manage to find a way to overcome obstacles.

"That strange, uh, Sky Dragon Slayer thing he was talking about?" Sakura asked tentatively. She still wasn't sure if Naruto was telling the truth or not, but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Loke looked at her. "Yes."

Sakura hesitated before asking. "What exactly is a Sky Dragon Slayer?"

"A Sky Dragon Slayer is an individual," Loke refrained from saying mage, he didn't feel like explaining the whole concept of magic again, "who has trained in the dragon slayer arts, an ancient and forgotten form of fighting that deals with the recipient partially becoming a dragon, allowing them access to the strength of a dragon. This, of course, can give them enough power to slay dragons."

"Wow, and what does the sky part mean?" Sakura asked, excited by the prospect of learning more about her changed teammate.

"There are several dragon slayer arts, each attributed to a dragon. You see, dragons have the ability to 'eat' a certain element, like fire, iron, poison, and air. The sky simply means that Naruto's abilities revolve around eating the 'sky' and then using that energy in his techniques. Of course, the sky dragon slayer is also unique in that he has access to healing abilities." Loke resumed, more or less, everything they needed to know about dragon slayer magic.

"Why did Naruto chose the Sky? Or were there no other options?" Kakashi asked. Knowing his student, or at least, from what he thought he knew, Naruto would have gone for something flashy, not something that could heal others. If anything, he was sure Naruto would have gone for the fire dragon slayer.

Loke sighed. "Dragon Slayer arts are not the property of us spirits. It just so happened one of us knew about them and thought it to Naruto. That art turned out to be Sky."

Before anything else could be said, Deidara's nasally voice came from above. "Are you done talking, hmm? Or do you wish for me to leave you alone?"

The three stopped before jumping out of the way, narrowly avoiding the oncoming bird bombs that Deidara had thrown at them.

Deidara smirked as he saw the three jumping around. '_Like monkeys!_' He told himself.

He turned to see that the pink haired girl had jumped in his direction and he gave a small laugh as he adjusted his flight so that the girl couldn't even reach him.

"Is this the best you can do? How sad, un!" Deidara exclaimed.

So distracted, he barely had time to react as a large fire ball singed his hair.

"Kakashi-sensei! Be careful! The Kazekage is still in that bird!" Sakura screamed at her sensei.

Loke set his hands aglow, intent on fighting as well. He jumped towards the flying bomber. Just like with Sakura, Deidara merely flew back to avoid being hit. However, he wasn't expecting the ball of light from the spirits hands suddenly being sent flying into his direction.

Deidara yelped as the ball of light exploded in his chest and sent him flying into the trees bellow.

"Sakura-san! Now!" Loke cried towards the pinkette as the clay bird started a slow decent to the ground.

Sakura quickly jumped and caught the bird before it could land and be destroyed. She gently, yet quickly, started to peel the clay back.

Sakura gave a large sigh of relief as she saw that Gaara was still breathing.

"Sensei! He's okay!" She informed her sensei.

Kakashi nodded. "Good, take care of him while Loke-san and I go after the Akatsuki member."

Sakura nodded in understanding as the two males jumped after the fallen bomber.

/With Kakashi and Loke/

The two men were running towards the spot Deidara fell in, only to find the spot empty.

"Where did he go?" Loke asked, more to himself than to the jounins.

"Hmm, he couldn't have gone far. Besides, he still only has one arm. He won't be at his best." Kakashi explained.

As the two men were looking around, Deidara was hiding under the foliage, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

When he saw the two men were distracted, Deidara sent clay spiders after them. He grinned as he saw them approaching the two males before positioning his hand in front of him in a seal.

"Katsu"

The two were unprepared as the clay spiders exploded beneath them, sending them flying into a tree.

However, they quickly recuperated. Thanks to Loke and Kakashi's enhanced sense of smell and hearing, they were able to pinpoint where Deidara was hiding.

Loke set his hands aglow before charging the spot.

Deidara, seeing him coming, jumped out of the way, only to be hit by shuriken thrown by Kakashi.

Kakashi narrowed his eye as he saw the Deidara he just hit dissolve into clay before jumping back as another clay bomb exploded beneath him.

"He's using his clay bombs as a diversion. He isn't aiming to fight us, only to distract us. Possibly so he can escape." Loke concluded.

"Your right, but we can't let him get away." Kakashi reminded him.

Loke smirked. "Who said anything about letting him get away?"

Kakashi eye smiled in return.

Deidara observed the interaction, not sure what to make of it.

Were they planning something? Or were they really just joking around?

He was about to throw another clay bird at them when he heard rustling behind him. He barely managed to dodge as Kakashi plunged a kunai right where he was hiding. A second later and the jounins would have pierced his heart.

He threw his clay bird at Kakashi only for them both to explode. '_Shadow Clone!_'

Just as he realized this, he saw a glow coming from behind him before feeling the spirit punch him, sending him into the ground.

Loke landed right in front of Deidara, holding his right bicep with his left hand and holding his right hand in front of his face. "Shishikoyo! (Lion Brilliance)"

Deidara cried as he was blinded by the sheer light before feeling rather than seeing his only available arm get cut off by Kakashi.

Kakashi held out his hand, chidori blazing, as Deidara fell to the ground. Blinded and dismembered, the Akatsuki member was defeated.

Kakashi quickly took out some ninja wire, not that he really needed it, and tied Deidara's legs together, preventing him from running away.

"What are you going to do with him?" Loke asked curiously.

Kakashi finished tying the string, all the while making sure this Deidara was the real Deidara, before turning to the spirit. "I'm going to hand him over to Konoha's interrogation squad, for questioning. It would be risky to bring him all the way to Konoha on my own, but I'm sure Suna will be able to spare some shinobi as escorts."

Loke nodded as Kakashi hefted Deidara over his shoulder. The silver haired man had administered a knock out drug to prevent the blond from struggling.

Securing his package, Kakashi started back towards the cave with Loke in tow. Both eager to return to the blond, hoping he was okay.

**Yes, this battle scene sucked, but I didn't want it to drag on too long. I needed Deidara to be captured for the plot and if Kakashi and Loke had gone all out, he would have been killed, or at least have escaped like he did in the anime.**


End file.
